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Dillon, who went up Tuesday on an Air Force F-16 with a Thunderbirds' pilot, races with a “Top Gun“-themed helmet with the word Maverick on it, just like the Tom Cruise character in the movie from 1986 –– four years before he was born.

“Flying upside down was really awesome,” the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion said. “I was kind of comparing things and asking (the pilot) questions on how truthful the movie was. It's cool to go out there and see what it's really like.”

Racing a car, the 22-year-old said, will now feel “slow.” The Thunderbirds are in town to perform a flyover at Daytona International Speedway for Sunday's Daytona 500. Two jets arrived late Monday and the remaining six will arrive Friday. Six of the jets will participate in the flyover.

Dillon, the 2012 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, went straight up 11,000 feet after takeoff from Daytona Beach International Airport, then over to Cape Canaveral where he flew upside down, experienced loops and all the aerobatics moves the team does in an air show.

“That was awesome,” Dillon said when he first got off the aircraft at about noon, showing the Thunderbirds' crew his empty sick bag. “I didn't have to use it. That was fun. That was so crazy.”

Dillon, who in the Daytona 500 will drive the No. 33 Honey Nut Cheerios for his grandfather, team owner Richard Childress, called it an experience he will never forget.

The ride doesn't compare to a race car, he said, adding “it's beyond what I can imagine. That was unbelievable, the amount of force put on your body and for the length of time it's on it. It's a totally different speed and you're not on the ground.”

The “wildest part,” he said, was right at the beginning.

“The takeoff was crazy,” Dillon said. “I was really relaxed until we went vertical and straight up.”

Prior to going up, Dillon went through hours of training, including a medical briefing, lessons on the equipment and breathing techniques to handle the G-forces, a measure of the force exerted by gravity.

Maj. Michael Fisher, Dillon's pilot of the No. 8 Thunderbirds jet, said Dillon was able to handle 9 Gs, or nine times the force of gravity.

“He treated it like a true veteran,” Fisher said.

The full Thunderbirds team, which includes about 50 people, will spend the next few days visiting area high schools and going Saturday to Halifax Health Medical Center's Speediatrics pediatric unit. A pair with ties to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University were part of the Thunderbirds team who helped Dillon prepare for his flight.

Technical Sgt. Amber Alumpe, 28, who received a bachelor's from Embry-Riddle's campus at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, is responsible for ensuring the jets have the proper life-saving equipment, from parachutes to oxygen masks. She worked with Dillon on his suit, showing him what he needed to do in the event he had to parachute down.

Alumpe is a new race fan after coming with the Thunderbirds in 2010 for the Daytona 500 and enjoys the time she's spent in the pits watching drivers and their crews.

“It's inspiring to see the crews and the pride and precision they take in doing their job,” Alumpe said. “The drivers' lives are in their hands, like our pilots lives are in our hands.”

Technical Sgt. Andrew Hartman, 28, a current Embry-Riddle student at Nellis Air Force Base, strapped Dillon into the jet. He's responsible for the jet's wiring, pressurization and air conditioning systems.

“He handled it a lot better compared to other media and celebrities,” Hartman, a NASCAR fan, said of Dillon. “He was really calm.”

<p>DAYTONA BEACH &mdash; Austin Dillon traded in his driver's fire suit for a Thunderbird pilot's G-suit and felt firsthand what his favorite movie, “Top Gun,” called “the need for speed.” </p><p> Dillon, who went up Tuesday on an Air Force F-16 with a Thunderbirds' pilot, races with a “Top Gun“-themed helmet with the word Maverick on it, just like the Tom Cruise character in the movie from 1986 –– four years before he was born. </p><p> “Flying upside down was really awesome,” the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion said. “I was kind of comparing things and asking (the pilot) questions on how truthful the movie was. It's cool to go out there and see what it's really like.” </p><p> Racing a car, the 22-year-old said, will now feel “slow.” The Thunderbirds are in town to perform a flyover at Daytona International Speedway for Sunday's Daytona 500. Two jets arrived late Monday and the remaining six will arrive Friday. Six of the jets will participate in the flyover. </p><p> Dillon, the 2012 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, went straight up 11,000 feet after takeoff from Daytona Beach International Airport, then over to Cape Canaveral where he flew upside down, experienced loops and all the aerobatics moves the team does in an air show. </p><p> “That was awesome,” Dillon said when he first got off the aircraft at about noon, showing the Thunderbirds' crew his empty sick bag. “I didn't have to use it. That was fun. That was so crazy.” </p><p> Dillon, who in the Daytona 500 will drive the No. 33 Honey Nut Cheerios for his grandfather, team owner Richard Childress, called it an experience he will never forget. </p><p> The ride doesn't compare to a race car, he said, adding “it's beyond what I can imagine. That was unbelievable, the amount of force put on your body and for the length of time it's on it. It's a totally different speed and you're not on the ground.” </p><p> The “wildest part,” he said, was right at the beginning. </p><p> “The takeoff was crazy,” Dillon said. “I was really relaxed until we went vertical and straight up.” </p><p> Prior to going up, Dillon went through hours of training, including a medical briefing, lessons on the equipment and breathing techniques to handle the G-forces, a measure of the force exerted by gravity. </p><p> Maj. Michael Fisher, Dillon's pilot of the No. 8 Thunderbirds jet, said Dillon was able to handle 9 Gs, or nine times the force of gravity. </p><p> “He treated it like a true veteran,” Fisher said. </p><p> The full Thunderbirds team, which includes about 50 people, will spend the next few days visiting area high schools and going Saturday to Halifax Health Medical Center's Speediatrics pediatric unit. A pair with ties to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University were part of the Thunderbirds team who helped Dillon prepare for his flight. </p><p> Technical Sgt. Amber Alumpe, 28, who received a bachelor's from Embry-Riddle's campus at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, is responsible for ensuring the jets have the proper life-saving equipment, from parachutes to oxygen masks. She worked with Dillon on his suit, showing him what he needed to do in the event he had to parachute down. </p><p> Alumpe is a new race fan after coming with the Thunderbirds in 2010 for the Daytona 500 and enjoys the time she's spent in the pits watching drivers and their crews. </p><p> “It's inspiring to see the crews and the pride and precision they take in doing their job,” Alumpe said. “The drivers' lives are in their hands, like our pilots lives are in our hands.” </p><p> Technical Sgt. Andrew Hartman, 28, a current Embry-Riddle student at Nellis Air Force Base, strapped Dillon into the jet. He's responsible for the jet's wiring, pressurization and air conditioning systems. </p><p> “He handled it a lot better compared to other media and celebrities,” Hartman, a NASCAR fan, said of Dillon. “He was really calm.”</p>